LEGO Architecture 21042 Booklet page 8

A Universal Icon
The Statue of Liberty was intended to be seen as a universal
symbol of enlightenment and freedom. The robed female
figure itself represents Libertas, the Roman goddess of
freedom, and although you cannot see her feet clearly she
stands among a broken shackle and chains, with her right
foot raised, depicting her moving away from oppression and
slavery. The seven spikes on the crown represent the seven
oceans and the seven continents of the world, reinforcing
the universal concept of liberty.
Over time, the Statue would also emerge as a welcoming
symbol of hope to different generations of immigrants to the
U.S. Between 1886 and 1924, almost 14 million immigrants
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"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
entered the United States through New York. The Statue of
Liberty was often the first thing they saw as they arrived by
ship in their new homeland.
The American National Park Service took over responsibility
for the island in 1937, and set about transforming the area
around the Statue into a park. Bedloe's Island was renamed
Liberty Island in 1957 to commemorate the completion of
this work. The Statue was designated a UNESCO World
Heritage Site in 1984 and continues to attract around 4
million visitors each year.
Emma Lazarus
The New Colossus
1883